Marvel’s Black Panther does not disappoint as the box office numbers show the Ryan Coogler-directed film to have beaten industry estimates giving it the fifth best opening of all time.
Black Panther looks to open this weekend to a whopping $192 million in the U.S., which means it passes the opening weekend for The Avengers: Age Of Ultron ($191.27 million) and is in good company trailing The Avengers, Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the all time opening weekend charts.
When Monday’s holiday is factored in, it’s now projected that Black Panther will bring in north of $218 million.
Some industry estimates are pegging Black Panther for an even higher opening with a $195 million-plus opening weekend and a $225 million-plus four day opening.
Black Panther also has the best opening weekend in February beating out Deadpool‘s $132 million.
Black Panther currently has a box office total of $361 million ($169 international gross) and has yet to open in China, Japan and Russia.
Rotten Tomatoes hasn’t changed much as Black Panther sits at a 97% with 285 Fresh reviews to only 10 Rotten.
Our own reviewer, Lawrence Napoli, gave Black Panther high remarks as well: “Black Panther is a really entertaining film that has every bit of Marvel Studios’ cinematic magic with more substantive social commentary than the average save the world, superhero scenario. The production value in every moment is so impressive which continues to be a testament to Kevin Feige’s leadership as the founder of the MCU.”
Tweet ⭐ if you’re listening to “All the Stars” by @KendrickLamar and @SZA this weekend. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/cFeNR023jm
— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) February 18, 2018
Black Panther has a February 16, 2018 release starring Chadwick Boseman (“Captain America: Civil War,” “Get on Up”), Michael B. Jordan (“Creed,” “Fruitvale Station”), Academy Award winner LupitaNyong’o (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “12 Years a Slave”), Danai Gurira (“The Walking Dead,” upcoming “All Eyez on Me”), Martin Freeman (“Hobbit” trilogy, “Sherlock”), Daniel Kaluuya (upcoming “Get Out,” “Sicario”), with Academy Award® nominee Angela Bassett (“American Horror Story,” “London Has Fallen”), with Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”), and Andy Serkis (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”). Additional cast members include Letitia Wright (“Urban Hymn,” “Glasgow Girls”), Winston Duke (“Person of Interest, “Modern Family”), Florence Kasumba (“Captain America: Civil War,” “Emerald City”), Sterling K. Brown (“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) and John Kani (“Captain America: Civil War,” “Coriolanus”).
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.